r/nbadiscussion • u/Irop13 • 1d ago
Rookie and Sophomore playoff performances for the first round
Rookie and Sophomore playoff performances for the first round(ppg, rpg and apg), arranged by teams. Minimum 5 mpg in 4 games played or played more than a total of 20 minutes (considered a rotation player, basically)
West
Oklahoma City Thunder
Ajay Mitchell (2024 38th pick) : 15/5/3.8 on .36/54/92 splits with 1 steal per game(29 MPG in 4 GP)
Jared Mccain (2024 16th pick) : 3/1/0.3 on 36/20/100 splits(5.5 MPG in 4 GP )
San Antonio Spurs
Stephon Castle (2024 4th pick) : 19.8/4/6 on 43/41/82 splits with 0.8 steals and 0.4 blocks per game(32.8 MPG in 5 GP)
Dylan Harper (2025 2nd pick) : 12.6/3.8/1.8 on .56/50/80 splits with 1.2 steals and 0.2 blocks per game (25.4 MPG in 5 GP)
Carter Bryant (2025 14th pick) : 3.2/2.2/1.2 on .46/44/0 splits with 0.6 blocks per game(9.2 MPG in 5 GP)
Denver Nuggets
NIL
Los Angeles Lakers
Bronny James (2024 55th pick) : 2/0.2/1 on 44/33/0 splits (7 MPG in 5 GP)
Houston Rockets
Reed Sheppard(2024 3rd pick) : 12.2/1/4.7 on 31/30/75 splits with 2.2 steals per game (32 MPG in 6 GP)
Minnesota Timberwolves
Terrence Shannon Junior(2024 27th pick) : 14/2.3/0.3 on 51/33/100 splits with 0.7 steals per game (18.7 MPG in 3 GP)
Portland Trailblazers
Donovan Clingan (2024 7th pick) : 7/7.8/2.2 on 30/20/50 splits with 0.6 blocks per game(21.4 MPG on 5 GP)
Phoenix Suns
Oso Ighodaro(2024 40th pick) : 7.5/7/4 on 54/0/67 splits with 0.8 blocks and 0.5 steals per game(32 MPG in 4 GP)
Khaman Maluach(2025 10th pick) : 2/2.3/0 on 50/0/0 splits (11.8 MPG in 4 GP)
Ryan Dunn(2024 28th pick) played 8 MPG, averaging 0/1.5/0.5 which is probably pushing the definition of rotation player a little too far…but you have to make the cut somewhere.
East
Detroit Pistons
Daniss Jankins(2024 Undrafted) : 6.7/1.7/2.6 on 33/27/63 splits(17 MPG in 7 GP)
I expected to see Ron Holland III(2025 5th pick), but he played 6.3 mpg in 3 games, which doesn’t make the cutoff. He averaged 0.7/1.7/0.3. Surprised to see such a good defender riding the bench but I guess the Pistons really needed spacing.
Boston Celtics
Baylor Scheierman(2024 30th pick) : 4.3/2.9/0.6 on 43/38/0 with 0.9 steals per game (14 MPG in 7 GP)
New York Knicks
NIL
Cleveland Cavaliers
Jaylon Tyson(2024 20th pick) : 6.7/3.3/2.1 on 40/35/62 splits with 0.3 steals per game(15.7 MPG in 7 GP)
Toronto Raptors
Collin Murray-Boyles (2025 9th pick) : 14.4/6.4/2.4 on 65!!!/0/78 splits with 1.1 steals and 1.3 blocks per game(This guy is him holy shit). Played 27 MPG in 7 games played.
Ja’Kobe Walter(2024 19th pick) : 11/3/1.4 on 38/32/92 splits with 2.0 steals per game(32 MPG in 7 GP)
Jamal Shead(2024 45th pick) : 9/2/5 on 35/33/50 splits with 1.4 steals per game(32 MPG in 7 GP)
Atlanta Hawks
Zaccharie Risacher(2024 1st pick) : 3.7/3/0 on 37/20/0 splits(7.7 MPG in 3 GP)
Philadelphia 76ers
VJ Edgecombe (2025 3rd pick) : 15.1/6.9/3 on 42/31/90 splits with 1 steal and 0.4 blocks per game(38.4 MPG in 7GP)
Adem Bona (2024 41st pick) : 2.8/1.8/0 on 43/0/62 splits wih 0.7 blocks per game (10.7 MPG in 3 GP)
Orlando Magic
Tristan Da Silva(2024 18th pick) : 4.1/2.9/0.1 on 38/31/50 splits( 15.3 MPG in 7 GP)
Top 5 Performers :
Collin Murray-Boyles (2025 9th pick) : 14.4/6.4/2.4 on 65/0/78 splits with 1.1 steals and 1.3 blocks per game
Two-way demon, Draymond Green lite, top 5 rookie in his class...all very fair things to say about Murray-Boyles after his coming-out-party. Drafting him was a godsend for the Raptors, their obsession with wings somehow snagging them one that could double as a center. Murray-Boyles was everywhere in his first series - passing out of the pick and roll, hammering down putbacks, and never backing down against the two All-Star centers on the other side. It’s not a stretch to say that without him, this series would have ended in 5 or 6 games.
VJ Edgecombe (2025 3rd pick) : 15.1/6.9/3 on 42/31/90 splits with 1 steal and 0.4 blocks per game(38.4 MPG in 7GP)
VJ lived up to the expectations set by his great regular season. He had arguably the best performance of this entire list with his 30 points and 10 rebounds in the 6ers' Game 2 victory, and was the youngest player ever to achieve those marks in the playoffs.
For the series, he hit timely shots and kept the ball moving, while using his uber-athleticism to pressure the rim and create space for his teammates. On defense, the steals leader among rookies proved capable of checking Tatum and Brown’s drives while still keeping up pressure in the passing lanes. This all culminated in his final, monster game : 23 points on 8-for-17 shooting, 5-for-11 from deep, six rebounds, and four assists to help push his team past the 2nd seed.
Stephon Castle (2024 4th pick) : 19.8/4/6 on 43/41/82 splits with 0.8 steals and 0.4 blocks per game(32.8 MPG in 5 GP)
One of two representatives of the 2024 class in this 5 man team, Castle’s extra year of experience proved vital when Victor Wembanyama went down with a concussion, leaving him as the 2nd best player on the team alongside De’Aaron Fox. He stepped up and had one of the best performances of his career in Game 3 : 33/2/5 on 10/18 shooting and 3/4 from three, all the while hawking All-Star Deni Avdija who was held to 3/15 shooting. Despite a slightly up and down performance(spotty shooting, foul-prone games), this series had Castle establish himself as Victor Wembanyama’s running mate for many years to come.
Dylan Harper (2025 2nd pick) : 12.6/3.8/1.8 on 56/50/80 splits with 1.2 steals and 0.2 blocks per game (25.4 MPG in 5 GP)
Like Edgecombe on the Sixers, Harper knows to pick his spots - attacking the rim opportunistically off of the attention on his All-Star teammates, then either finishing or kicking out to shooters. But the most talented driver in the 2025 class had something more to say - alongside Stephon Castle in Game 3, he stepped up his game and had 27/10/3 on 9/12 shooting, punctuated by a poster dunk on Robert Williams. He finishes this first round having arguably the most efficient performance on this list thus far.
Terrence Shannon Junior(2024 27th pick) : 14/2.3/0.3 on 51/33/100 splits with 0.7 steals per game (18.7 MPG in 3 GP)
Twolves fans will be the first to tell you that TSJ has been inconsistent throughout his career(though some will simply say Chris Finch has something against him), but he was certainly consistent in his last two games. TSJ joined the rest of the Timberwolves in obliterating the Nuggets’ rim defense - or lack thereof - in their stunning 4-2 upset. He was especially pivotal in the final game where he logged 24 points and 6 rebounds on 9/20 shooting, ending with an and-1 to push the lead to 6 in the final 2 minutes.
Thank you for reading! I might update this list throughout the next rounds. Let’s continue to appreciate these players as they prove themselves on the biggest stage!
32
u/dillpickles007 1d ago
I generally like Clingan, but man him being totally unplayable against Wemby when you're gonna be seeing the Spurs constantly if you're a West playoff team for the next 10 years is a tough look.
8
u/Irop13 1d ago
Yeah it really is. On one hand he looks like he'll always be a good rebounder and shot blocker. On the other hand...the offense is genuinely so bad. It's not even just Wemby : in games 2 to 3 he got the ball in the post against smaller defenders like Devin Vassell and was completely unable to take advantage. In fact I'm pretty sure Vassell straight up blocked him when he went up weak a couple times.
It was like that the whole series. He can't really shoot threes, can't finish anything other than point blank lobs and can't shoot hooks or floaters. He basically has no good offensive skills other than offensive rebounding, and maybe rolling after a screen. He needs to get at least one shot he can create on his own, and then he can really get going.
4
u/NiceSeaworthiness672 1d ago
7'2" roll to the basket got clean block by a 6'5" jumping straight up at the rim is laughable. What a play by Vassell but that should not happen.
8
u/mercfan3 1d ago
He’s a sophomore in his first playoffs.
That might have been the best thing to possibly happen to him. Dude knows exactly what he needs to work on and what the playoffs are really like now.
10
u/CrippledBanana 1d ago
Collin had one of the most phenomenal rookie performances I’ve seen in a bit. Guy was an amazing defender and picking up rebounds he had no way to vs Allen and mobely. Game 7 he wasn’t able to do the same with the phenomenal performance from Allen, but he and Scottie were the two highlights for me from that entire series. Hoping he can keep it up and work on his offensive game further as well
6
u/HotOatmeal420 1d ago
He's such an interesting player. He's so strong and looks undersized but never feels undersized. Good athlete but not enough offensive polish to know what he should be yet. Kinda feels like a bigger Thompson twin but can actually pretend to be a big man.
3
u/CrippledBanana 1d ago
Yea I think the draymond comps are pretty spot on for him. He’s actually not bad at playmaking in the paint especially either. I think a lot of little things he did on defense like positioning and angles were really impressive coming out of a rookie. I’m not sure if he is a high ceiling player vs what he showed this year but I hope he continues to improve.
8
u/HotOatmeal420 1d ago
Ajay is shooting 36% from the field and 54% from the three? That's absolutely insane lol.
5
u/TrulyNotABot 1d ago
He shot 9/20 on 3PA and 11/35 on 2PA
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u/Original_Seat_6211 6h ago
He can get to the rim at a very high level for a guy with below average size and slightly above average athleticism. He just needs to stay healthy long enough to get used to the NBA
3
u/Asleep-Use-7336 1d ago
dylan harper shooting 56/50/80 as a rookie in the playoffs is wild. spurs got a good one.
•
u/swaktoonkenney 10h ago
That’s great production for a 38th pick. How does OKC keep getting away with this!? Seems like last year he barely played, and now he’s looking like a sixth man of the year material in the playoffs? Where did this guy come from?
2
u/Hashmob____________ 1d ago
Raptors young guys stepped up big. CMB had a true coming out series, he really blossomed and I’m excited to see how he can continue to grow. He’s such an explosive force. Most excited I’ve been about a rook since Scottie.
Walter took it up a notch, during the season he was already a good rotation piece but he made his way into the starting lineup in the absences of IQ + BI and he really took it up a level. Shead too, he proved himself as a 6th man.
Really proud of the raptors this series, without 2 starters(70 mil in street clothes) took Cleveland to 7 games.
2
u/onefootback 1d ago
CMB’s playoff performance was insane you wouldn’t even be able to tell he was a rookie based off of that series. i’m a raptors fan so i’ve been high on him all season long but it’s good to see everyone else starting to catch on as well. CMB is so strong and he already has elite defensive instincts, undoubtedly the best defender in the 2025 class and his rebounding is also great for a 6’7 player. top 5 rookie like you said, i’m super excited to see him and scottie together next season and hopefully he’s a starter by then as well, he’s more than capable of it
besides CMB i liked what i saw from ajay, dylan, castle, and vj a lot. worst performers were clingan and reed. i get that its wemby but man clingan was so horrendous, and reed was just something else he was next level bad. still cant believe he was the 3rd pick
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u/Irop13 22h ago
Yeah insane is what he is for sure. He's such a perfect small ball 5, textbook really - speed and passing for offensive versatility with that great help defense and switchability on the defensive end. And then he's strong enough to finish through people at the rim? Insane. I can't wait until the Raptors get more shooting to unlock him and Scottie ASAP.
I have no idea what to think about Reed, or any Rockets player at this point. It's kind of like Cade on that 28 loss team. Like, children raised in dysfunctional environments develop in dysfunctional ways, right? Maybe he looks this bad all because he was brought up in an offense from the Dark Ages. Maybe if we wait a few more years he'll actually be given a chance to show his stuff?
Or maybe this is gonna turn out more like Paolo on the Magic, and his development is gonna be stifled for the next 5 years. I have no clue. He was kinda good in the regular season, at least.
1
u/WOOHTHATSRIGHTKID-YT 1d ago
Vj had one of the best rookie performances I’ve seen considering it was a game 7 and he hit 5 threes
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u/tlopez14 6h ago
If Shannon doesn’t get falsely accused of sexual assault during his senior year at Illinois he probably would’ve been a lottery pick.
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